Santa Baby
by flashpenguin
Summary: With the help of a couple of elves named Finch and Fusco, Joss has decided to give Reese a Christmas he'll never forget...until a mishap forces her to change her plans. Leave it to a little mistletoe, garland, and a Santa hat to help save the day for the lovers. Co-written with Vivian. *COMPLETE!*


**_Here is another of the stories that was requested for the Christmas pairing __drawing__. This one comes from Vivian who wanted "Bear, bare, and the song 'Santa Baby' by Eartha Kitt". Since the last two stories were a tad depressing, I decided to make this one funny and light – with just a touch of Fusco to make it complete. And of course, where there is Fusco, trouble can't be too far behind! I hope you like it. _**

**_Song prompt: "Santa Baby" by Eartha Kitt_**

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><p><strong>Santa Baby<strong>

"Tell me how you think this is going to work," Lionel Fusco groused as he tried to hold up his end of the heavy Evergreen. Stepping carefully, he tried to keep one eye on the stairs and the other on the confined space of the stairwell.

"It was your idea to get John a tree to help me help him celebrate Christmas," Joss Carter returned matter of factly. Although she held the top of the tree, she was also carrying the bags of decorations and lights.

"I said it would be a good idea, _not_ that we should break our backs and risk our lives actually _getting_ him one," Lionel corrected. Pausing, he leaned against the wall and tried to catch his breath. "How many more flights do we have?"

"One."

"We should have taken the elevator," Lionel grumbled.

"We couldn't."

"We could have if someone had gotten the smaller tree I picked out."

"It was barely three feet high, Lionel, and it was almost bare of needles," Joss pointed out. "Get your end. If we don't get this inside and decorated before John arrives..."

Lionel looked sharply at his partner. "What do you have planned for him?"

"Nothing. Just setting up the tree. That's all," Joss hedged, looking down and away.

"You're going to seduce him!"

Joss's head snapped up sharply. "Fusco!"

Lionel's look was one of pure innocence. "What? Was it supposed to be a secret?"

At a loss for words, Joss tried to find an intelligent reply. "Yes. No." She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

Lionel gave her a wide grin. "Which is it, Joss?"

"I could make your fall look like an accident, you know," she threatened.

"You could," he nodded, "but you'd be stuck trying to get the tree to Wonder Boy's loft," he pointed out.

"Get your end."

Heaving the heavy tree, the pair continued their journey in silence. Using the key from Finch, Joss unlocked the door to the loft. A quick look around let her know the coast was clear.

"Come on, let's get this done," she ordered.

Working frenetically, the pair practically threw the decorations on the tree as the minutes ticked by quickly.

"How long did Glasses say he could keep John occupied?" Lionel wondered as he pulled the lights out of the containers and started to wrap them around the tree. "Take that end." He handed the string of lights to Joss.

"Another hour – give or take."

"It's going to be 'take', if we don't get this done."

Forty minutes later the decorations and lights were set – albeit awkwardly – on the tree. The pair stood back and took in the moment.

"Turn them on," Joss suggested. "Let's see how they look."

Plugging in the cord, Lionel stepped back and held his breath as he waited for them to blink. One by one the lights blinked off then on before synchronizing to the preset music.

"Perfect!" Lionel clapped his hands together. "Well, my job here is done. Doesn't look too bad...if I say so myself." He started to gather up the boxes. "Where do you want these?"

Joss waved him off. "I'll take care of it. You can go. I know you need to get ready for Lee."

Lionel set the boxes on the couch. "Yeah. It's my turn to have him this season."

"You should think about taking him and your ex out to dinner."

Lionel scoffed. "If I did that, you'd be getting a new partner in your stocking. No. I think I'll leave well enough alone."

Joss shrugged. "Oh. Well. It was just a thought." She looked to make sure that all the litter had been gathered up. "You don't mind taking all of this down to the dumpter?"

Lionel took the bags from her. "No. It's the least I can do. You got everything you need?"

Joss nodded. "I do."

"And you know what you're doing?"

"I do. Now go before he gets here."

Lionel walked over to the front door. "Help me with the door?" He waited for Joss to open it. Stepping out in the narrow hallway, he turned around to face her.

"Do me a favour?"

Joss raised her eyebrows. "What's that?"

"Be gentle with him?" Lionel grinned broadly.

"Good-bye, Fusco." Joss closed the door firmly in his face. She could hear his guffaw echo down the hallway, and rolled her eyes. Her phone rang. She glanced at the message: _Answer the phone, Detective._

"Hi, Finch," she greeted. "What's up?"

"I wanted to inform you that Mr. Reese is on his way to the loft. I take it that you have completed the first step of your plan?"

"Done and completed, Finch," Joss bragged as she walked over to the couch. She took out the Christmas shoes and Santa hat from one bag. Her hands reached for the white box in the last remaining bag. She opened it. "Crap!"

"What's wrong, Detective?" Finch asked, concerned that some disaster was about to befall the woman he considered a friend. He naturally leaned in closer to the computer.

"It's not here," Joss said, a bit of fear was in her voice. She searched thru the bag more thoroughly. "It's not here."

"Joss? Are you okay?"

"I have to go, Finch." Joss disconnected the call. Where was the box with her outfit? She knew she brought it up with the decorations. Oh no! Joss bowed her head. Fusco must have grabbed it when she asked him to take out the trash. Now, what was she going to do?

Looking around, she tried to figure out a Plan B. "There has to be something," she muttered.

Her eyes fell to the multi-coloured garland. She picked it up. Immediately her brain started spinning. It could work, she figured,_ if_ she put her mind to it. She had less than fifteen minutes – give or take – to make it work.

Joss began to unravel the long rope of garland. "Here goes nothing."  
>**************<p>

Reese let himself in to the loft and pocketed his keys. He was still trying to find out what exactly had been up Harold's sleeve when he requested him to come over to the library. It didn't make sense then, and the walk back home hadn't shed any light on his mentor's intentions. Bear seemed to be in good health and was playing with the ball with barely a limp by the time he left. It didn't warrant an emergency visit to the vet. Maybe a good stiff drink would clear his mind. If nothing else, it would help erase the last two hours, he figured.

He froze in mid-thought.

"Joss?" He blinked twice and tried to make sure he wasn't seeing what he thought he was seeing. But she was obviously there – standing in the middle of his loft in nothing – or what little she was wearing, it might as well be nothing, he reasoned.

"Hi, John," Joss greeted sweetly. Her head was tilted suggestively, her hand on her hip.

Reese stared at the detective, as his eyes slowly traveled down the length of her body. From the Santa hat sitting crookedly on top of her head to the Santa style, four inch stiletto heels encasing her feet, he drank her in. Moving his eyes upward for a second look, he paused.

"Is that garland you're wearing?" he asked and raised his eyebrows.

"Yep."

"Why are you wearing garland?" Amusement was in his tone.

"Because the tinsel wouldn't stay in place," she replied smartly.

Reese considered her comment. He nodded. "Makes sense." He stepped toward her. "What doesn't make sense it why you are standing in my loft decked out in a Santa hat and wrapped in garland. And why is there a tree here?"

"Because you needed a Christmas."

"I needed a what?"

"Christmas. You know, celebrate and relax and reflect. And open presents," she stressed the last word for effect and hoped he got the hint.

"And you are...?"

"Your present."

"Come again."

"I'm your present, John." She rolled her eyes heavenward.

"I'm not following you, Joss."

"The song. The one you were singing under your breath the other day," she replied. Reese looked at her blankly. "The 'Santa Baby' song. You wanted a present slipped under your tree – or something like that."

"Oh. Yeah. That one." Had he been singing it? He couldn't remember. Hell, he couldn't remember what he did five minutes ago before he walked in and saw Joss in all of her glory – or almost all of it.

"And it got me thinking that maybe you _could_ get me under your tree."

Reese could not find any way to reply to her common sense theory. "So far I'm following you."

"So, here I am," Joss purred. "I'm wrapped and waiting for you." She took a teetering step forward.

"Is that..." Reese looked more closely at the green thing dangling from the Santa hat. "Do you have mistletoe on your hat?"

"Mmmm hmmm," she confirmed.

"Why is there mistletoe on your hat?" he wondered.

"So you can kiss me."

"Kiss you?" he echoed.

Joss took a teetering step forward. "Didn't you know that you are supposed to kiss the person under the mistletoe?" She ducked her head and looked at him shyly.

"You want me to kiss you?"

"Eh. Do you always ask this many questions when a woman is trying to throw herself at you, John?" Not waiting for his reply, she pulled his head down to hers and kissed him.

Startled, Reese froze as Joss's lips covered his. He tried to remember to breathe as she took control and demanded entrance with her tongue. She was bold and brazen and he was taken aback by that side of the law-abiding, by the book detective. But as her body pressed closer to his, he found that he was liking it. His body was stirring to life with the thought of where the kiss might lead.

Coming up for air, he looked at her.

"Nice."

"What are you waiting for, John? Unwrap me." Sighing in frustration, Joss reached for the bow that was holding her outfit together. "Okay, if you won't do it, I will."

That was all it took to motivate Reese. He reached out and touched her hand. "No, let me."

He tugged gently on the bow and nearly swallowed his tongue as the glittery decoration fell whisper soft at Joss's feet.

"Oooo...hhhh," he breathed as he drank in her glorious naked form. _She's beautiful, _was his only thought.

"Are you going to stand there staring and drooling, or are you going to touch me?" Joss prodded him out of his stupor.

With a shaky hand, Reese reached out and cupped Joss's breast. Round and firm, it was just the right size to fit in the palm of his hand. "Perfect," he said hoarsely. "Perfect." Leaning down, he took her in his mouth and loved her. His tongue traced and outlined, his teeth nibbled and nipped while his other hand caressed the twin mound.

"John..." Joss sighed and closed her eyes. In the background she could hear what she thought was music. She wondered if he had managed to take her to another level of consciousness, but before she could ask, he switched his attention to her other breast. Arching to give him more, she weaved her fingers in his hair.

"Joss," Reese murmured against her skin as his lips moved downward over her abdomen to the most intimate part of her.

"Oh God!" Joss cried out as he loved her. Her hips thrust forward as he moved his tongue and fingers against her. His touch was experienced and knowing. And within seconds, she was gripping his shoulders and holding on for dear life as her body shuddered in release.

"Oh. Oh." Joss tried to catch her breath.

Reese looked up at her. A wicked smile danced on his lips. "You liked that?"

"You're arrogant, you know that?"

Reese stood up. "I do. But you like that about me." His hand cupped her cheek.

"One of the many things I _love_ about you," she corrected.

"You love me?"

"Do you think I would be standing in the middle of your loft wrapped in garland with a Santa hat on my head if I didn't?" she scoffed sarcastically. "If I 'liked' you, I would have just gotten you ammunition with your name engraved on it."

"I think I like this gift better. Much better." He licked his lips.

Joss looked down. Her eyes widened. "So...out of curiosity: Is that a candy cane in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?"

"_Very_ happy to see you, Joss," he confirmed.

Joss's fingers danced over the buttons of Reese's white dress shirt. "Since you got to unwrap your gift, do I get to unwrap mine?" she wondered.

Reese mulled it over. "I thought you'd want to tear it open and have your way with it."

"Be careful what you wish for, mister," she warned. She toyed with the button. There was the side of her that needed to play it safe.

"Well, if you won't, then I will." Reese started to unfasten the button.

"Come here," Joss growled and ripped the shirt open. Buttons popped off and landed on the hardwood floor. She unfastened his belt and pushed his slacks down to pool around his ankles. She swallowed hard at the sight of him in nothing but his underwear. Lust consumed her. She needed him now!

Caught up in the moment, she pulled on his hand.

"Joss, what are you doing? Watch out!" Reese called out a moment too late as Joss's stiletto twisted on the smooth wood and caused her to pitch forward.

Joss let out a yelp as she fell over the back of the couch. The soft cushions broke her fall. Dazed, she blinked in shock. But before she could catch her breath, Reese landed on her.

"OOOOF!" she gasped as his weight pushed her down. Reese pushed himself up.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. This isn't exactly what I planned, but I'm where I hoped I might be," she replied.

Reese gently brushed back a lock of hair from Joss's face. "And where would that be?" he wondered. Using his feet, he pulled his shoes and slacks off. Shifting his weight he settled between her thighs.

"Celebrating Christmas with the man I love." Her eyes shone with tears.

"Funny, me too." He traced her lips with his finger. "I love you, Joss."

"What are you doing?" she asked as Reese pulled the mistletoe off her hat and held it over his head.

"Mistletoe. Are you going to kiss me?" he teased.

"For starters," she vowed and pulled him down for a kiss.  
>***********<p>

Standing beside the dumpster, Lionel pulled the phone from his ear and turned it off. He looked down at the dainty, lacy teddy in his hand. He had started to call Joss and tell her that he had grabbed the wrong box when the intercom accidentally turned on. After hearing the exchange between his mutual friends, he deduced that the outfit was the least of Joss's concern at the moment.

"It's about time you two knuckleheads got together," he said and shoved the teddy back in the box. He would give it back to her later. But from the sound of things, it might be _much_ later.

"Merry Christmas," he chuckled and turned on his heel and left.

The End.

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><p><em>Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!<em>


End file.
